Our findings suggest that TGF-beta1 may act in an autocrine fashion to induce ASM hyperplasia, mediated by its receptor and several kinases including PI3K, ERK, and JNK, whereas p38 MAPK is a negative regulator.
Fistula stenosis is histologically characterized by intimal hyperplasia, which is induced by growth factors, among which transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) is of major importance.